How To Crochet Eyes For Your Amigurumi

If you still haven’t moseyed on over to the brand new HodgePodge Website, now might be a good time to do it!!

I’m still adding in old content from here to the new place but I’m also working on NEW STUFF!! If you’re interested in checking out my latest post, click the pic below and enjoy!

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Spotlight on Kreinik: How to Cover a Crochet Hook with Thread!

A while back I blogged about getting a box of goodies from Kreinik and since getting it, I’ve been SO BUSY that I haven’t had a chance to pull any of these yummies out of their wrappers and put them through their paces!

But I was determined to shut out the world and play with this box of goodies and make something I’ve had bouncing around in my head for a while now… Covered crochet hooks!

What you need to make your own:

• Polymer clay. One block in any color. Make sure you pick up more if you are planning on covering thousands of hooks!! Also, if you already own some clay and happen to have some scrap lying around, this is the project you want to use it on!
• A crochet hook (any size)
• Kreinik thread in your favorite color. DO NOT use acrylic yarn for this project as it will melt and possibly catch fire and burn down your neighborhood…
• An oven (I use a toaster oven for all of my polymer clay projects but you can use your regular oven as well).
• A tray, aluminum foil, heavy cardstock or really thick paper you can bend, and a small amount of fiberfil.
• A bowl of icy water.
• Optional: e6000 glue and a few wooden toothpicks.

How to make your hook! 

Begin by rolling some clay into a sausage shape:

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Press your thread down the center of the log:

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CAREFULLY place your hook over the top of the thread and press down evenly until your hook is in the center of the log:

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Pinch the clay together and roll until the hook is covered and the seam is smooth:

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Take your time wrapping the yarn around the hook making sure you keep it even and don’t overlap or leave gaps where the clay is poking out.

When you are done, use a small amount of clay to hold the ends in place by pushing into place where the thread both begins and ends. Make sure you have left some of the clay surrounding the hook visible on both the top and the bottom because clay will only stick to clay and not to thread!

Take your time and make this neat because you will see this part when the hook is done baking and you don’t want anything that will distract the eye from your gorgeous thread!

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Bake according to package instructions but BEFORE you bake, line your tray with aluminum foil and bend your cardstock into an M shape. Place a small amount of fiberfil in the center of the cardstock M and place your hook on top; then bake. Paper and fiberfil will not ignite in your oven unless introduced to a flame so take care that nothing is touching the heating elements in your oven!!

As soon as your hook is done baking, take it out and plunge it into a bowl of icy water. It will make your finished piece stronger.

After a few minutes, take out your hook and let it dry. If you’ve wrapped it correctly there shouldn’t be any gaps, loose thread, or anything moving on you at all and you’re ready to crochet! If you didn’t manage to wrap your hook correctly and you have some loose threads, you can still save all of your hard work!

Grab your e6000 and, starting at the top of your hook, dab on some glue. You have some wiggle room here but it’s best to work in small sections so that the glue doesn’t dry before you can arrange your thread.

Using a toothpick, stick down your thread, swirling as you go. Take care not to touch the glue so that it will dry clear and not get cloudy.

Alternate spreading glue and winding yarn all the way down the length of the polymer clay (going right over the first layer of thread) until you reach the bottom. Place some glue around the bottom of your hook, snip the thread, and make sure that you have a good bond so that nothing unravels. Place upright to dry!

I’d love to see your finished hooks and if you’d like to share, head on over to the HodgePodge Crochet page on facebook to drop me a pic! You can also tweet me @TheHodgeCrochet (or use the twitter box to the right) and instagram me @hodgepodgecrochet!

Don’t forget to click that button to FOLLOW HODGEPODGE before you leave so you don’t miss out on anything that’s coming up!

The DonnyBrook Shrug

Introducing The DonnyBrook Shrug!

This pattern was written for the first ever HodgePodge Shrug Showdown and comes in sizes 6 months to an adult large!

Many thanks to all of my testers and also to Suzanne Francis Photography for the amazing photos!

If you’d like a copy of The DonnyBrook Shrug for your very own, you can find it for sale in any of my online shops for the low price of just $1.00!

• Craftsy: http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/crocheting/outerwear/the-donnybrook-shrug/124174
• Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-donnybrook-shrug
• Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/214730171/the-donnybrook-shrug

SOLOMON ON THE LEVEL Infinity Cowl

Introducing my latest design:

Perfect for layering over everything from tank tops and swimsuits in the summer to turtlenecks and sweaters in the winter, the stretchy and super soft SOLOMON ON THE LEVEL Infinity Cowl will always make you look your best!

This simple pattern works up quickly for last minute gifts and because the yarn is stretchy it will look amazing on virtually anyone!

The hardest part of this pattern is choosing 2 skeins in any of the gorgeous colorways Loops & Threads Velveteen has to offer!

You can find your copy for just $1.00 in any of my online shops!

SOLOMON ON THE LEVEL Infinity Cowl on Craftsy

SOLOMON ON THE LEVEL Infinity Cowl on Ravelry

SOLOMON ON THE LEVEL Infinity Cowl on Etsy

Vintage Fan Ripple Blanket by A Creative Being

Copyright 2014: A Creative Being: Vintage Fan Ripple Crochet Afghan Blanket: Photos used with permission

Recently, one of  my FAVORITE crocheters on the planet–Wink from A Creative Being–finally finished what I consider to be the most amazing blanket ever!! Seriously, just looking at it makes me want to spontaneously birth a baby to wrap it in!! Right??!?! I can’t be the only one….. 😉

But just when I thought that this achievement couldn’t possibly be topped, she went and did something even more amazing (I had no idea that was even possible!!) when she posted a how-to tutorial for the rest of us!!

Copyright 2014: A Creative Being: Vintage Fan Ripple Crochet Afghan Blanket: Photos used with permission

If you would love to have one of these gorgeous blankets to snuggle under (or to make for a baby shower or for your own bundle of joy!!) then all you have to do is pop on over to Wink’s blog: A Creative Being :and snatch up her FREE PATTERN!! Don’t forget to drop her a thanks and why not let her know HodgePodge sent you! ❤